Hypnotised

Chapter 13

“Stop! It’s cold!” I whined as the sticky substance was poured on with my right calf. I was lying prostrate on Miles’ bed only in my underwear. Worn-out due to the long flight back, I just wanted to submerge into the world of sleep already- or at least try. It had been a week exactly since I last got to sleep some solid 7 hours. After that, I found myself not able to keep my eyes closed for more than one hour without waking up to mild shivers and vague recollections of some horrid nightmares in which I was somehow set on fire alive and no one noticed, helped me or anything.  They were really nerve-wracking.

“No need to get all cranky Al, it’s just aloe vera! It will help your skin hydrate and recover faster. Maybe even relieve you of some pain.” Miles cooed as his hand moved cautiously in circles. He was being so delicate I could barely feel his touch as the thing got spread. Some light brushes, a tickling static but no real skin-to-skin contact.

 Why, touch me. Press your hand hard the nastiest bruise you can find and tell me the failure we all know I am. How I don’t deserve you, the band or anything.

“Please hurry up, I just wanna go to sleep. No need to be so tender, rub it hard and fast… it doesn’t really hurt that much.”

He then simply ran his fingers over my dorsal vertebrae and I chocked down a cry. But my body wriggled in spite of my efforts to stay still so there was really no point in trying to conceal the truth.

“I know you’re in incredible pain babe.” He gulped and reverted back to Mr. Ghost Hand. “ It won’t take much longer I swear. Sleep…sleep will help too. You have to sleep, of course…there you go… turn around now, will you?” His hot breath collided with my cheek anticipating the kiss he placed exactly on my temple. It was a simple petty peck yet it triggered a small wave of heat that expanded widely in my insides. By the time I was done turning, however, he was already far from me again, working on my legs.

Your lips could work a thousand more wonders on my skin than that gluey green thing ever will.

Some minutes later, I heard him whisper my name along with some indecipherable nonsense.

“What?” I asked reopening my eyes mildly annoyed. I had been so close to falling asleep. He couldn’t have been more goddamn opportune if he’d beforehand planned to hinder my sweet rest.

“I’m finished Al. Now if you’d just move a bit I could fetch the sheets and…good now just get comfortable and repose for as long as you wish. I’ll be here by your side, okay?”

“Yea okay… please, shut up already” I pleaded in a weak voice as he pulled the blankets over me. I couldn’t bear it all anymore. This aloe thing had made the outer layers of my skin feel cool but underneath…oh underneath it was a pain celebration. Throbbing, piercing, aching, burning…anywhere I focused my mind on there was a particular sensation that became increasingly stronger if I didn’t immediately concentrate on another and so, as I kept switching my attention to different parts of my body, this chain of restless torture perpetuated given that time passed just to see me failing to drift off.

C’mon I was so close just moments before.

I rolled so as to face the other side.

Bad idea my left ribs could barely support my weight.

I went back to the position I’d been before.

Not feeling it either.

I was way too close to the edge of the bed and hell I didn’t fancy the idea of falling. I writhed in discomfort.

I lost track of how many times I rolled to and fro, shuffling nervously into new positions just to find I was finally more uncomfortable than before and thus tried to get back to that previous pose that was merely a mirage. Actually the more I moved, the worst I felt. Not only physically, but mentally too. I was totally losing it by the time Miles laid his hands on my shoulders and pinned me down on the firm mattress.